Surrendering to Fate
by MajorWhitlocklvr89
Summary: Being the daughter of New York's most successful and deadly mob boss, Bella has what seems to be the perfect life. Until she is betrothed by her parents to rival boss Marcus Volturi, a man nearly twice her age. Will Bella fight tradition, and her heart, or will she surrender to fate's plan
1. Disclaimer

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Twilight world...I just mess with their lives and pair them off with whomever I wish**

**So don't sue me**


	2. Prologue

**AN: Hello again everyone! Now I know I said that I'd be working just on Immortal Desires Can Be Deadly in my last update, but this story just popped into my head and wouldn't go away. This story will be in Bella's POV unless otherwise stated. So here is the first chapter of my first mob fan fiction ****Surrendering to Fate.**

**Surrendering to Fate**

**Prologue**

It's strange how easily one's life can change in an instant. I mean, I knew my life would never be easy since I was the daughter of the most notorious mob boss in New York but I never expected to be a girl whose biggest concern was if I was getting into Julliard to a woman whose choices were being decided by a man she barely knew but was being forced to marry. That's right, I was being married off to a rival boss of my father's to ensure peace between our families. Too bad no one asked what I wanted.

I grew up knowing exactly who my father, Charles Swan, really was. Neither he nor my mother bothered with lying because they knew that I would figure it out sooner or later. So whenever my father had to go away to prison, I was always told why and for how long. Not that he stayed away for long, the people he had on his payroll always coming through and getting him out. My father's only concerns when he did go in were staying alive and making allies with anyone he could. He was well protected while inside, none of the rival families even attempting to take his life because of the retaliation they would receive if they did.

I will admit, I was spoiled as a child. I was given everything a girl could ask for. I was also given rules. The biggest rule of all: don't let anyone know our business. Not that it was a problem. My best friends throughout school, Angela and Tia, knew the truth from the moment we met, but they knew not to ask me about any details. If I wanted to confide in them, like I did with this whole arranged marriage situation, I could but only if I gave them basic details. Nothing more. That stipulation allowed me to have friends and somewhat of a normal life. There was also one more rule. I couldn't date unless my father met the boy first and approved of him. Let's just say there weren't too many meeting between my father and a boy. I didn't date much and when I did, it didn't last long.

Anyway, back to the whole arranged marriage thing. I had a feeling that it might happen, but not this way. I never wanted my choice taken away from me about who I would marry when I was old enough to do so. I mean, I'm only twenty years old and on my way to attending one of the best dance schools in the country and now, I don't know what I'm going to do. Being the wife of a boss is never easy, never safe. If I do this, I'm giving up who I am. I'm becoming like my mother and the rest of the women in our family. I won't be able to do anything without my husband's approval first and Julliard? Forget it. I will be stuck at home, doing charity work, not dancing like I love.

As for the man I am being forced to marry? Marcus Volturi is the worst of the worst. He is part of the original Volturi family that set up the mob here in New York. My father used to work for his family until he was given a piece of the business long before I was born. I don't know what happened to make them enemies, but now I'm being used to heal the gap and bring them together once again. I've heard of the Volturi family's methods of getting things done and while I'm used to hearing about the violence, hearing about their violent ways make me sick. They don't care who they hurt in order to get their way and I've definitely seen bruises on their women. Such a great life I'm heading into if this plan of mine doesn't work.

My wedding day is in two weeks and unless Marcus can convince me otherwise, I'm not going to show. I've enrolled in Julliard, so I'm technically still a student which would cause some problems if Marcus raised a stink. But then again, this is the man that dragged me from my family's house in Connecticut to New York just to apologize to his mother for disrespect. So I'm still learning what he is capable of. He's shown me a bit of passion, but that's not enough to make me want to set aside my dreams to become a housewife.

Someone just knocked on my hotel room door. Time to face whatever music is playing and find out just what Fate has in store for Isabella Marie Swan, future bride of Marcus Volturi….


	3. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello again! So here is the next chapter for Surrendering to Fate. I hope that everyone is liking the story so far. As for my other stories, I will definitely be updating them when I can, but for now, I will be working on this one since it seems to be coming to me easier than the others. If any of my readers have any questions about my stories, please feel free to PM. I will answer.**

**Now...on with the story...**

**Surrendering to Fate**

**Ch 1: Fate's 1st Strike**

"Mom, I'm home," I shouted into the large house as I walked inside. Slipping my shoes off and dropping my book bag by the stairs to my room, I walked to the kitchen. She was always there when I got home and often didn't hear me when I shouted my arrival from school. I had just finished my first month of college courses and was glad to be home for the weekend.

Sure enough, she was rolling dough at the island as I walked in. Sniffing the air, I smiled at the scent of my mother's homemade spaghetti sauce. The pasta was already made, sitting in bowl mixed with butter and olive oil. A large hunk of parmesan cheese was waiting to be grated next to it and I could smell the garlic bread in the oven. Mom always did big dinners on the weekends, especially if someone was coming over for dinner.. Seeing the amount of food that was already made and being made, it looked like we were having guests.

Mom finally spotted me standing in the kitchen and gave me a quick hug before saying, "Oh good, you're here. Your father and I were hoping you'd get here before dinner. We're having a special guest tonight, so before you go and get ready, I need you to grate the cheese and take the bread out of the oven. Oh, and wear something nice dear." She said all of this practically in one breath before turning back to the dough she was rolling. I giggled a bit before grabbing a potholder and taking the bread out.

Placing the bread in the warming basket, I took the grater out and easily grated all of the cheese. As I washed my hands I asked, "So who is coming for dinner and why do I have to dress up for the occasion? If it's one of dad's soldiers, there's no need. They've all seen me in much worse." She froze before putting the dough in a pie tin and saying, "It's a friend of your father's, not one of his men and you're dressing nice because I said so Isabella. Now go shower and get ready. Wear red, it suits you best." I sighed, but nodded all the same before grabbing my book bag and heading upstairs.

Dropping my bag on my desk, I grabbed my black silk robe and went to my bathroom. I debated about taking a long bath, but since dinner was practically ready and this guest would be arriving for a drink beforehand, a shower would be quicker. I turned the water on and while it heated up, I took off my school clothes, jewelry and wiped off the small amount of makeup I wore. I was curious about who was coming to dinner that had my mother all in a frenzy, but decided that worrying about it myself would be stupid.

Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water wash away the grime of the day. School had been slightly boring today, especially since it was a weekend and a three day one at that. Nobody paid attention to the professors, which made lectures hard to listen to. The only thing that kept me from skipping today was seeing my two best friends, Angela and Tia. They alone kept the boredom at bay in class.

Once I was clean and had shaved everything that needed it, I turned off the water, grabbed my towel and stepped out. Drying off, I wrapped my robe around my body and walked back into my room. I dried my hair while looking in my closet for a dress that I would be comfortable in but was also nice enough for the special dinner. Looking at my red dresses, since my mother requested the color nicely, I finally chose a short thin strapped dress with a plunging v-neckline and a somewhat short hem. Going towards my shoes, I chose a pair of over the knee black boots. Also grabbing a pair of red lace panties, I placed the dress and boots on the bed, slipped the underwear on and then went to my vanity to do my hair and makeup before getting dressed.

Using my hairdryer, I dried my hair into messy curls and then started on my makeup. I chose a smoky red look for my eyes and a light shade of pink gloss for my lips. I hated the feel of lipstick. Once I was sure that my makeup wouldn't smear, I put my dress on, grateful of the fact that the dress was easy to pull over my head without stretching out horribly. Settling the dress on my body, I grabbed my boots and pulled them on, zipping them up slowly so I didn't catch any skin. Fluffing my hair out a bit, I headed back downstairs.

As I entered the living room, I found my father already seated with a drink as my mother made both she and I one as well. My father, Charles Swan, looked up as I walked on and nodded in approval of what I was wearing before saying, " Isabella, I assume your mother told you that we're having a special guest for dinner tonight." "Yes she did Daddy. Who is it?" "Marcus Volturi." A shiver went up my spine as I heard the name of my father's worst enemy.

Marcus Volturi was the head of the Volturi family, my father's biggest rival. He was barely 40 and had been leading the family for only a few years since his father's untimely death. The Swan's and the Volturi's hadn't always been enemies, their rivalry only as recent as my father's ascension when he was in his twenties. He used to be the favorite soldier of Marcus' father, until the Volturi decided to get their own piece of the human trafficking market. My father wanted no part in, so he left and started his own mob. A very dangerous move to make, but one that paid off well in his favor.

So why was my father asking his worst enemy to dinner? I had a feeling that it wasn't for anything good. Mom handed me a rum and Coke before sitting next to my father on the couch and gesturing me to sit in the chair that was facing the door. Seriously wondering what the hell was going on, I sat down and took a large sip of my drink. Father asked, "So how are your classes going so far? Any chance college has convinced you to stick it out instead of going to that dance school?"

Shaking my head at my father's attempt to keep me in school I said, "Classes are great Daddy and no, I'm still going to go to Julliard if I get accepted. I've already heard back from them and NYU in regards to doing online work if I go to Julliard and neither has issue with me doing both as long as I keep up with the workload. Sorry to disappoint." He shook his head saying, "I'm not disappointed Isabella. I just don't want you to be disappointed if you don't get into that school and I want you to have a degree to fall back on if something happens and you can't dance anymore." "I'm getting the degree no matter what Daddy. I want something to fall back on as well, but dance is my passion and I want to focus on it the most."

He nodded and said, "I just want the best for you Princess." I smiled and said, "I know you do Daddy." Before he could say anything else, the doorbell rang. My mother stood and left to answer it. I stood also, but Father motioned for me to sit back down while he himself stood, ready to greet our guest. It wasn't much longer before my mother returned, followed by our guest Marcus Volturi.

Upon seeing him for the first time, I had to admit that Marcus was a very good looking man. He was a little over six foot and broad shouldered. From what I could tell, his body was lean and fit like a runner. His dark hair was clipped short as was his goatee. All in all, he was a very handsome man. I couldn't help but stare a bit as he greeted my father and gave his drink order to my mother as he greeted her.

My father turned to me and said, "Marcus, this is my daughter, Isabella. Isabella, this is Marcus Volturi." Marcus walked over to me, took my hand, kissed it and said, " It is a pleasure to meet you Isabella." I smiled and said, "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Volturi. Welcome to our home." Marcus smirked and said, "Please call me Marcus. Mr. Volturi was my father." He turned to my father and merely nodded. My father simply nodded back and said, "We'll discuss it after dinner. Shall we go into the dining room?"

Marcus nodded before turning to me and asking," May I escort you to dinner Isabella?" I nodded and allowed him to walk me to the table. He pulled my chair out and waited until I was seated before taking the seat next to me. Once we were all seated, my father passed his plate to my mother so she could dish up his dinner. Remembering my duty to guests, I gestured for Marcus to hand me his plate so I could do the same. Once all of us had been served, Daddy said his usual blessing and we started eating.

After the first few bites, Marcus turned to me and asked, "So Isabella, how do you spend your days? Helping your mother with her charities I presume?" Slightly insulted by his insinuation, I finished my bite of bread before saying, "Actually _Mr. Volturi_, I'm currently enrolled at NYU pursuing a degree in European history. I'm also waiting to hear back from Julliard in regards to my audition earlier this summer. With the current class load that I have, coupled with what I'll probably be doing at Julliard, I am unable to assist my mother." _HA, take that!_

Indeed, Marcus didn't seem to like my answer all too much. He turned and glared at my father who merely glared back and said, "We'll discuss it after dinner Volturi." Looking back and forth between them, I asked, "Discuss what Daddy? And don't tell me it's not any of my business. The looks you've been giving each other and me tells me that it is. So what is going on?" My father sighed and pushed his plate away before saying, "Isabella, go wait in my study with your mother while I talk with Mr. Volturi. I'll tell you everything after that. Now go."

Irritated and growing increasingly angry, I threw my napkin on the table and grabbed my drink before storming out of the dining room and into my father's study. My mother followed me inside and closed the doors behind her before saying, "Isabella Marie, behave yourself. I can't believe you spoke to your father like that." "Well Mother, I'd like to see how you'd act if your father and his worst enemy talked about you in riddles and stared at you like some prize. What is going on?"

She hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "It's not my place to discuss your father's business. Now sit down and wait for your father. He will tell you what you need to know." Seeing that I wouldn't get anything more from her, I sat down on the loveseat, crossing my arms as I did so. My gut was telling me that something bad was going to happen and that whatever it was had something to do with Marcus Volturi.

Mother and I heard a few moments of shouting before my father and Marcus walked in. My father took his seat at his desk while Marcus sat next to me. Not in the mood to play nice, I scooted as far as I could from him and wouldn't meet his eye. Silence ensued for a few moments until my father said, "Isabella, as you know, I used to work for the Volturi family." "Yeah, you were a soldier until they went in a direction you wanted no part in and you left. So what?" He nodded and continued, "Unfortunately my leaving had consequences. Our family and the Volturi family have been rivals for too long and too many lives have been lost in this foolish feud." My gut clenched as I remembered our most recent loss: my best friend and brother in all but blood Riley. My father broke through the depressing thought by saying, "So Marcus and I have decided to end this madness and join our families once again.

That did not sound good at all. I mean, I was all for our families to stop fighting, but something told me that this peace was going to come at steep price. The way Marcus was looking at me gave me a huge hint as to what that price was. After all, my father had given the Volturi family a grave insult when he left and set up his own faction.

My father's next words confirmed my worst fear. He looked me straight in the eye and said, "Isabella, the agreement with Marcus states that you and he will combine our families through marriage. You will be married next summer, no exception."

I think my mouth dropped in shock and anger both. My father had 'sold' me to his worst enemy to stop the fighting. And, if Marcus had his way, I could kiss NYU and Julliard goodbye. No Volturi wife was allowed to waste time doing what she wanted, only what her husband wanted her to do. At least that's what I've heard

_So much for a peaceful weekend at home...Thanks a lot Daddy..._


	4. Chapter 2

AN: Here I am! I'm so happy that everyone seems to be liking this story and where it seems to be going. Now usually I don't like to draw things out too much, but with what this story is about, I'm going to go a bit slow in bringing our two leads together. I mean, if I were being forced to marry a man I didn't know, I wouldn't immediately jump into a relationship with him, fake or real. So I hope you like where I take the story and continue reading

So here's the next chapter of Surrendering to Fate…

Ch. 2: Avoiding the Truth

"Your marriage will take place next summer."

It took a few minutes for the shock to wear off. Once it did, anger quickly took its place. I stood up and away from the couch before asking, "Daddy, are you serious? You're marrying me off just to clear your debt with him?!" His face became hard as he said, "Don't take that tone with me young lady. This is a great opportunity for you to do what is necessary for this family."

I lost it. I said, "A great opportunity? Daddy, you just gave me away like a piece of property to a man I don't know." Remembering Marcus' reaction to my daily routine I asked, "What about school? What about Julliard?" My father looked down and away before saying, "That is now between you and Marcus. I no longer have a say in what you do. He has made his displeasure known however." I glared at both him and Marcus before saying, "Dad, I've been working my ass off since I was 5 to be good enough for Julliard and now you're telling me that it was all a waste of time? What about my classes at NYU? You wanted me to get a degree and now you're telling me to forget it and become a fucking robot?"

My father reared up out of his chair and said, "Enough Isabella! You will do as you are told and marry Marcus. You will be officially engaged at Christmas and be happy about it." I snorted in disbelief and turned to walk away when Marcus grabbed my arm saying, "Isabella, we must…" I ripped my arm out of his grasp and said," WE don't have to do anything. You can go to hell for all I care. All of you can rot in hell." Turning to face my father I said, "So much for wanting the best for me Dad. I'm out of here." I turned to the door and Marcus grabbed my arm again. Quickly reaching behind the bookcase, I pulled the 9mm pistol out and pointed it at his head.

He immediately released my arm as I cocked the gun and put my finger on the trigger. He stared at me in slight surprise and awe as I said, "Grab me like that again and I'll put a bullet in your head. Touch me ever again in a way that I don't like and your balls will meet the same fate. So stay the hell away from me." Still holding the gun, I slowly backed out of the room and up the stairs to my room. Locking the door behind me, I put the gun on the table beside the door and started pacing.

I was 'engaged' to Marcus Volturi and I had just put a gun to his head and threatened his life. What was I going to do? I was about to go to Julliard and now my days were going to be spent doing charity work and having lunch with women who couldn't do anything without asking permission first. _Fuck that!_ I was not going to be that man's trophy wife.

A bang on my door startled me out of my thoughts. Marcus yelled from the other side, "Isabella, open this door right now! We have to talk. Open the door!" Figuring that I had only a few minutes before he or my father broke down the door, I quickly changed into some faded jean shorts, a Batman tank top, my black Converse, a studded leather bracelet and my flower pendant. Grabbing the large bag of clothes that I always kept packed and ready, my school bag and my purse, I opened my bedroom window, tossed my stuff and quickly climbed out after it.

Glad that I had my other car key hidden outside the garage, I unlocked it and put my stuff inside before easing the car out in neutral. Once I was in the street, I started the car and drove off. I didn't stop looking behind me until I had driven out of the neighborhood and was on the highway. While I drove, I doubled checked to make sure that I was still carrying my own 9mm pistol. It was and I was glad that I had remembered to renew my permit and had followed my father's rule about always carrying.

Grabbing my cell, I dialed Angela's number and explained what I could of the situation to her. She immediately offered the guest room in her apartment for as long as I needed it. I knew that it wouldn't be for long, but I appreciated the gesture nonetheless. I offered to pick up dinner and junk food on the way there and she gave me her and Tia's dinner requests and junk food cravings before hanging up. I pulled into our favorite Chinese place and made my order before running over to the store next door and buying junk food and drinks.

Loading up the car, I checked my phone for missed calls. 3 from Mom, a dozen from Dad and nearly 3 times as many from a number I didn't recognize but figured it was Marcus. I didn't return any of them, turning off my phone just incase my dad or Marcus decided to try and track the damn thing. About half an hour later, I pulled into Angela's apartment complex and into the spot reserved for visitors. Tia came out to help me, saying that Angela was still setting up the guest room for me. We lugged the food and my bags upstairs where I helped Angela finish up before unpacking the junk and Chinese food.

As Tia put in a movie and we started eating Angela asked, "So what's really going on Bella? Usually when you fight with your folks you hash it out. What happened to make you come here? You can tell us." I debated for just a few minutes before telling her and Tia everything and I mean everything. Surprisingly, she and Tia weren't all that shocked about what my family really did for a living. Apparently they'd known all along and just didn't want to make things awkward.

As the movie ended, Tia walked over to pick another while I cleaned up the take-out containers. As she passed by the window she paused, took another look and said, "Bella, there's a black SUV parked on the opposite end of your car and whoever is inside seems to be staring up at this apartment." I quickly got up and looked out the window. Sure enough, a black SUV was parked in an empty space across from the apartment. Looking closer, I saw the Volturi crest on the license plate.

I whispered, "Marcus fucking Volturi." Tia asked, "Who?" Closing the curtains after flipping the car off, I turned to her and said, "The guy out there is probably Marcus Volturi, my fiancée." Angela looked confused and said, "I thought you said that you weren't going to be engaged until Christmas." "That's for the public to see. We can't have anyone wondering why the two biggest rival crime families are suddenly uniting in marriage. So for the next few months, he and I will be 'dating'. I hate this shit."

Tia asked, "Well, is he at least good looking?" "If I have to admit anything, I will admit that he is. He has a bad boy thing going for him, which is slightly ironic." Angela and Tia giggled before Angela asked, "You stared didn't you?" I threw a marshmallow at her head as an answer. Once we all stopped giggling, Angela asked, "So what are you going to do?"

Sighing I said, "There's nothing I really can do. If there is to be any kind of peace between our families, I have to marry the SOB. Even if I fight it to the death, I'll still have to marry him this summer whether I like it or not." Tia snorted and said, "Sure, yeah right Bella. Seriously what are you going to do? If I know you, you won't go down without the fight of your life." I smirked and said, "Oh, I never said that I wasn't going to give them hell Tia. I just hate that this is happening."

Angela asked, "Aren't arranged marriages traditional?" "Usually yes, but the pairing is usually between two allied families. Rival families that marry into each other only happen when things are getting really bad and peace needs to be made and quickly. Like between my family and the Volturi. I just hope that I can still go to Julliard. In fact, I'm going to make sure of it. I'm not giving up Julliard just to make Marcus Volturi happy."

Tia said, "You do that Bella and we'll help you. So what's your plan of attack?" I giggled and said, "Easy. I'm going to make him fall in love with me. And then I'm going to break his heart."


	5. Chapter 3

**AN: So here's another chapter of Surrendering to Fate. I'm so happy that y'all are liking this story and that you want to read more of Bella and Marcus' story. **

**Now this chapter has things between them getting harder, yet heating up at the same time. Marcus isn't one to back down from a challenge and that's just what Bella is presenting to him. We'll also get to see at least one of the Cullens, and just wait, you'll get some more of the history between the families and see just what is going on**

**Oh, and unless I say it in the AN, this story will be in Bella's POV, though there will be a different POV at some point in this chapter**

**So here we go…**

**Ch.3: Bella Strikes Back…Or Does She?**

Angela, Tia and I stayed up until the early hours of the morning, eating junk food and planning out Marcus' demise so to speak. I had the nagging feeling that somehow this was going to blow up in my face, but I was still angry enough not to care. At least if anything came out of it, I would show Marcus Volturi that I wasn't going to be like the other women in the life. I wasn't going to be some puppet for him to play with. I was going to make sure that he knew exactly whom he was marrying.

Once we all woke up and had eaten breakfast, we took showers and got dressed. Noticing how hot it was already, I dressed in a turquoise peasant skirt, layered white and turquoise tank tops and my turquoise wedge sandals. Angela wore patchwork blue jeans, a grey tank top and white Converse. Tia chose a black crop top, jean mini skirt and black flip-flops. Packing the essentials in my purse: wallet, phone, lip-gloss and gun, we all piled into my car and headed to the mall for a much needed girl's day. If my plan was going to work at all, I needed some clothes that would make Marcus drool.

Walking inside, we immediately hit the stores. I knew that Marcus would be expecting a proper, demure woman at his side and that was not going to happen. So as I shopped, I chose clothes that were sexy, not slutty. I had to be comfortable and confident in what I wore and slutty was not comfortable or confident. So I chose dresses that hugged my curves, tops that hinted at an ample cleavage and bottoms that showed off my legs and ass in a good way. With New York's weather hinting at an unusually warm fall shorts, skirts and capri pants were a majority of my purchases.

I also decided while I was there to get my naval pierced, my ears double pierced and a couple of tattoos to go with the ones I already had. I knew that once Marcus and I were officially engaged, I'd be getting his crest tattooed somewhere on my body. I wasn't usually a big fan of needles, but I didn't mind tattoo needles all that much. I was able to quickly find a tattoo that I really liked that would go on my back. It was a rose that covered the entire length of my spine and spread out almost to my shoulder blades. I also got the three tattoos I had recolored since they had faded quite a bit since I originally got them.

Getting the piercings didn't hurt as much as I thought they would, but the tattoo hurt quite a bit more than the others had. But it was totally worth it once it was finished. Same went for the others after they were retouched. Luckily for me, I wouldn't have to wait two weeks for them to heal, thanks to the ink the artist used and my own skin. Once I was done and had paid, the girls and I went to our final shop for the day: Victoria's Secret that also had a Frederick's of Hollywood attached.

I stocked up on my usual bra and panty sets before browsing the sexier lingerie offered. Since I also purchased some business attire, I picked up some stockings and garter belts to go with the skirts I had chosen. As I glanced at the corset and panty sets with Angela, she asked, "What's his favorite color?" "I have no idea, but my mom practically ordered me to wear red last night. His family does tend to wear that color or some shade of it often. Why?" She cleared her throat to get my attention before holding up a hanger.

It was a beautiful bra, panty and garter set. It was mostly red satin, the bra having more black lace than satin. The panties were small and when I tried it on, they were snug on my hips but in a good way. I had to have it. I purchased the set in red, but also in emerald, purple, dark pink and white. I also purchased several corset sets, short nightgowns, babydoll sets, chemises and a purple silk robe. If Marcus ever walked in on me in just one of these, my plan would work.

Once the three of us had eaten a late lunch, we loaded up the car and went back to the apartment. As I pulled onto the highway, I noticed the black SUV from last night pull onto the highway behind us. Smug bastard. Well if he was going to follow me around, then I'd give him quite a show to see. I had an idea of how to spend what could possibly be my last weekend as a free woman, but I needed the girl's help.

Once we had lugged everything up to the apartment and had started sorting it, I asked, "So do y'all want to go to a club tonight? I feel like dancing." Angela and Tia were all for it, so we ate a light dinner before showering again and dressing for a night out. I had a feeling that Marcus or whoever was in the SUV would follow us but I didn't care. I just wanted to dance and drink a little. It was a good thing I remembered to grab my ID when I left.

Drying my hair gently, I rummaged through my shopping bags for the perfect dress and quickly found it. It was slightly outside my comfort zone, but it was so cute that I couldn't resist buying it. It was a short black dress, the hem not even reaching the middle of my thighs. The straps were thin enough that I couldn't wear a bra, not that I needed to since the dress was snug enough to support my breasts. I slipped on some black lace panties before doing my hair and make up, slipping the dress on afterwards.

Slipping on my new black heels, I again packed the essentials in a black clutch before leaving the guest room and meeting the girls in the living room. Angela was wearing a short, hot pink halter dress with silver heels while Tia was wearing a purple strapless mini dress with black knee-high boots. We took Angela's car to Eclipse, the hottest new club in New York.

After parking the car, we walked up to the door and were greeted by the bouncer, Emmett McCarty Cullen. He was a good friend to all of us, but I think he wanted to be more with Angela but was too shy to do anything about it. He smiled when he saw us, but as I passed by he said, "We all heard the news. If you or the girls need anything let me know, okay Bells?" I nodded and followed the girls inside, not at all surprised at his news or offer. The Cullens were a powerful family as well and often torn between helping my father or the Volturi. Emmett was especially in a difficult position when the Volturi asked for help, since his cheating ex-girlfriend, Rosalie, was now married to Marcus' brother Aro.

Once inside, we found a table near the dance floor and ordered some drinks. We kept the drinking to a minimum since I had to go to church in the morning and they had offered to go with me. After the first round, we hit the dance floor. We danced with each other and with a few random guys here and there. Strangely, whenever I danced with a guy, it felt like I was being watched and not in a good way, Emmett went on break not long after we got there and danced with all 3 of us, saving the slow dances for Angela. Apparently he finally got the courage to ask Angela out because Tia and I saw her jump into his arms and kiss him.

That feeling of being watched never went away and as the four of us sat down to take a break, I found out why. A blonde woman came up to our table and said, "Excuse me Miss Swan? The owner would like for you and your party to join him in the VIP lounge." Curious, we accepted the invitation and followed the woman upstairs to the VIP area. A bad feeling hit me, but my curiosity pushed it to the side.

As we were led inside, I realized that the woman had known my name. I hadn't been to Eclipse often enough for the owner to know my name. As we reached the VIP area, I saw a man standing at the window gazing out at the dance floor. There was no reflection, but his familiar stature and smell told me exactly who he was: Marcus Volturi.

Immediately on edge I stopped walking and asked, "What the hell do you want?" He turned to face us, a smug smirk on his face as he said, "Hello to you too Isabella. Now that I have you here, we will speak about our engagement. Sit down." Seeing two of his men move to block the only exit, I sighed and sat down, the girls and Emmett taking the other chairs surrounding me.

What did Marcus want from me so badly that he was willing to follow me around everywhere?

**Marcus POV**

God this woman was infuriating! So unlike the women I was used to, yet her behavior didn't seem all that bad to me. I enjoyed her spirit, but only to a point. She and I are engaged and she needs to accept that and take her proper place at my side. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will change my mind about having Isabella Swan as my wife.

As I watched her on the dance floor, I thought about when her father offered her to me as a way to secure peace between our families. I had been shocked at first, until I saw a picture of Isabella on his desk. Then all I thought about was having her on my arm and in my bed. I had accepted Charles' offer without any hesitation and we discussed terms before planning how to reveal to Isabella that she was now mine.

When I officially met Isabella for the first time, her beauty amazed me. She was amazingly beautiful in her simplicity. Unlike most women, she kept her makeup simple as well as her jewelry, which only made her more beautiful. She had an elegance about her that was subtle, yet evident in everything she did. She would be the perfect Volturi bride, once my mother and sisters got ahold of her. Her current activities and attitude needed some major readjusting if she was going to be the wife I wanted her to be.

I was jolted out of my thoughts by my assistant asking me if there was anything I needed. Pointing out at the dance floor I said, "Escort that woman and her guests to the VIP lounge. The brunette's name is Miss Swan. Now go." She nodded and left to do as I asked. I had hoped to talk to Isabella alone, but her fleeing and constant attempts to ignore me have left me little choice but to arrange a meeting with an audience.

Not that I can really blame her for her behavior. Finding out that your father arranged your marriage to end a feud with his enemy would piss any woman off. Still, she should have allowed me to speak before running off. We had many things to discuss, including her attending college and Julliard. I had to admit, I was impressed that she was talented enough to get an audition with the school and I was even more impressed that she was attempting to get a college degree while waiting to hear back from Julliard.

Still, she would have duties to perform once she became my wife and I wasn't going to allow my wife to waste time getting a degree that she wouldn't be able to use. The dance school was still possible, but only as a hobby type of thing. Volturi women didn't work. Isabella and I would have to talk if she wanted to continue doing anything she wanted.

I kept my back to the door as my assistant led Isabella and her friends into the VIP lounge. I was surprised to see Emmett standing with her, considering that he worked for me as a bouncer. But then I remembered that he didn't know that I owned this club. I smirked as Isabella immediately recognized me and stopped halfway into the room. She immediately frowned and asked, "What the hell do you want?" Smirking still, I turned to face her and said, "Hello to you too Isabella. Now that I have you here, we will speak about our engagement. Sit down."

Once Isabella saw that she had no choice but to talk to me, she sighed and took the seat across from me while Emmett and the girls took the seats around her. Sitting down, I stared at Isabella, taking in her beauty and form. The dress she wore was a little more revealing than I would have liked, but I let it go because she was only going to wear it this once if I had my way.

Taking a deep breath as I met her eyes I said, "First, I would like to apologize Isabella for how your father and I revealed the arrangement between us. Had I not pushed, we would have revealed it in a better way." She snorted, interrupting me as she said, "A better way? Trust me Mr. Volturi, there is no better way for a girl to find out that her father sold her like a piece of meat to the enemy." Her snarky attitude was beginning to piss me off, but I pushed it aside so that we could talk this through.

Leaning forward I said, "That's not what this is Isabella. Surely you know that an arranged marriage is not outside the norm for people like us? You knew this would happen someday." Glaring at me and crossing her arms, Isabella said, "Yes, someday. Not out of the blue and to a man I don't even know. Sorry that I'm not thrilled about becoming a Stepford wife." Confused I ask, "What do you mean by 'Stepford wife'?"

Isabella rolled her eyes before saying, "I've seen the women in your family with my own eyes. They're like robots, doing only what you tell them or allow them to do. They probably don't even wipe their own asses without your say so. Thanks, but no thanks. I have no desire to be like them, so you and my dad can figure out another way to make peace and leave me out of it. Goodbye."

She stood up and walked to the door, her friends also rising to follow her. I stood quickly and said, "Isabella, get back here! We're not done talking." She turned back to me and said, "Actually we are Mr. Volturi. I may have no choice but to marry you, but that doesn't mean that I have to talk to you. Now, get these guys out of my way before I shoot them." Not wanting to let her leave, but remembering how quick she was with a gun, I motioned for my men to move aside and let her leave. I watched as she and her friends left the VIP lounge and went back to their table.

As I looked down, I saw Isabella order another drink before heading back out onto the dance floor. Emmett stayed with her friends, but kept an eye on her as she danced. As I watched her move, I couldn't help but feel jealous at how easily she let other men near her, yet she wouldn't allow the man she was about to marry anywhere near her. Enough was enough. If I had to, I was going to make Isabella Swan fall in love with me. And what better place to start than on the dance floor.

I left some instructions with my assistant before leaving the VIP lounge and heading to the main part of the club. I quickly spotted Isabella on the dance floor, her body swaying with the music. She was a goddess and I was going to make her mine. I moved through the crowd, keeping my eye on Isabella the entire time, waiting for the best opportunity to get close to her without causing a scene. She was a stubborn woman and I wanted her badly.

Finally, she was facing away from me and was staying in that direction for some time. I took the chance and went to her. As she swayed to the music, I moved behind her and pulled her body to mine slowly, waiting for her to realize it was me. As we danced, she didn't seem to realize it was me and we danced together for some time. Then one of her friends, Angela I believe, pointed behind her and made some gesture and Isabella turned to face me. At the sight of me, she tried to pull away, but I pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "Just dance with me Isabella. Just dance."

She seemed to calm down, probably relieved that I wasn't dragging her off the dance floor. I'll admit, the idea was tempting since she and I still had to discuss our engagement, but I didn't want her running off again. A slow song came on and instead of walking away, she stayed in my arms. As we danced slowly I asked, "Will you speak with me now? We have a lot to talk about Isabella." She sighed but nodded as she said, "Look, I want to enjoy tonight and I've got church in the morning. I'll talk to you, but I really don't think this is the best place. You never know who might be listening."

Isabella did have a point. I already had thrown several people out over the past few weeks because they turned out to be cops or snitches. I couldn't risk my business, both family and legit, to talk to her just incase there were cops somewhere inside. Not to mention, we didn't want it getting out just yet that our families were uniting. So I asked, "When then?" She bit her lip as she started to think and I wanted to take that lip and suck on it myself. Finally she said, "I'm not going home probably until later in the week. No point since I have classes early Monday morning, so come to the apartment after church and we'll talk."

I wasn't happy that she was still going to go to class, but I really couldn't stop her at the moment since I was still trying to get her to stay in the same room as myself for more than 5 seconds. I asked, "Doesn't your family have a huge Sunday meal after Mass?" She snorted and asked, "Do you really think I'm going to sit down with my father after what happened at the last family meal?" Again, she had a point and apparently her anger towards her father had not abated. That would be another thing we would have to discuss when we talked the next day.

Anyway, I agreed to meet her the next day at the apartment she was staying at, which apparently confirmed to her that I had been watching and following her around. Drawing her close to me I said, "Isabella, we are engaged, nothing will change that. Following you around is my way of protecting you because once the other families find out, they will try to harm you to get to me." She nodded and said, "The Cullens already know." I knew that, their family being the first ones I told of my impending engagement to the woman in my arms. At least now she understood the dangers so to speak and perhaps she would be more careful about her habit of running off when she was angry.

The song ended and I led her back to her friends. I was happy to see that there weren't that many glasses on the table, but since she had told me that she and her friends were going to Mass in the morning, I wasn't totally surprised. Once we reached the table, Angela mentioned how late it was and said that they'd better head back to get some sleep so they would be okay for Mass. Emmett started to lead them outside and I followed with Isabella.

Reaching their car, I said goodbye to Emmett and the girls before leading Isabella to the front passenger seat and saying, "Be safe Isabella. I will see you at Mass in the morning, so sleep well. What time should I come to the apartment?" After talking to the girls she turned back to me and said, "Come about an hour after Mass ends. I'll make lunch for all of us and then we'll talk in another room." I nodded and before she turned to get in the car, I took the chance and seized her mouth with my own, kissing her as hard and as long as I could.

She tasted so sweet and I couldn't wait to do it again. I let her get in, noticing that she was in a slight daze, before stepping back and letting them drive off. Emmett walked over to his own car, which was right by where Angela's had been. As he got in, he said, "Marcus, you may be my boss and our families might be 'allies', but I swear to you right now. You hurt Isabella in any way and I'll put you six feet under, regardless of whatever peace exists between us. Do I make myself clear?" I was slightly insulted by his threat, but since Isabella was a friend of his and he seemed to be dating her friend Angela, I took him seriously and said, "Emmett, you have my word. I will not hurt Isabella ever." He nodded and then drove off.

I too left the club, tailing the girls back home to make sure they got there safe. I watched, as Isabella got dressed for bed, undressing in front of the bedroom window. She knew I was in the car watching and she was teasing me. I was rock hard as I watched her strip off that miniscule dress and put on a simple dark pink chemise to sleep in. Damn girl was going to kill me.

**Bella POV**

Holy shit….I'm screwed. Marcus Volturi can kiss and from what I felt while we were dancing, he just might be fuck hot in bed too.

To be honest, I just might forget the plan all together and just be me. I still want him to understand that I'm not going to be what he expects, but I really don't want to waste time and energy. Who the hell knows, maybe he and I can work this out…


End file.
